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/ 9 February 2008

Turkey to lift headscarf ban amid mass protest

Turkish lawmakers were set to lift a ban on Islamic headscarves at universities on Saturday, as tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest the move as a threat to secularism. In separate votes, an overwhelming majority of lawmakers approved two constitutional amendments that would together lift the on-campus ban.

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/ 9 February 2008

Second trader quizzed in French banking scandal

A second trader suspected of involvement in the multibillion-dollar losses at Société Générale bank was taken for questioning by judges on Saturday. The unnamed broker at Société Générale subsidiary Fimat was seen leaving the headquarters of the police financial brigade aboard an unmarked police van escorted by a car.

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/ 9 February 2008

Quake hits northern Mexico

A magnitude 5,4 quake struck very close to the northern Mexican city of Mexicali in Baja California on Saturday morning, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, but there was no immediate report of any casualties or damage. The USGS said the very shallow quake, only 7km deep, was centred 26km south-east of Mexicali.

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/ 9 February 2008

Revitalised NZ make short work of England

In a stunning reversal of form, New Zealand thrashed England in their opening one-day cricket international by six wickets with 20 overs to spare at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday. The win came just days after England thoroughly outplayed New Zealand in all departments in two Twenty20 matches.

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/ 9 February 2008

Isidingo star in hospital after car accident

Soap star Ashleigh Callie, known for her role as Lee Haynes in Isidingo, will undergo surgery at Johannesburg General Hospital following an accident in Linden, it was reported on Saturday. ”The accident took place at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Tana Road last night [Friday],” said Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.

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/ 9 February 2008

Harsh winter kills more than 750 in Afghanistan

More than 750 people have perished as a result of severe cold and heavy snowfalls this winter across Afghanistan, a government official said on Saturday. The cold spell, the worst in decades in the impoverished and mountainous country, has also killed nearly 230 000 cattle, said Noor Padshah Kohistani of the National Disaster Management Commission.

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/ 9 February 2008

I thought I was out of a job, says Henry

All Blacks coach Graham Henry said he thought his international career was over after his team’s shock elimination from the Rugby World Cup last year, a newspaper reported on Saturday. In his first interview since being reappointed in December, Henry said he only stood for re-selection because of the public support he had received.